Crutching Ewes

There are many chores that mark the coming of spring. For the Stone Barns livestock team, one of these is “crutching.”

Each year, about 3-4 weeks before lambing, the crew sets to work crutching the pregnant ewes in our Finn-Dorset flock. For our farmers, this means removing the wool from around the ewes’ bellies and rear, giving new lambs safe and easy access to their mother’s teats.

Watch Livestock Manager Craig Haney demonstrate and describe the process.